wa2mct at mearle.com wrote:
> At 03:38 PM 10/29/2005 -0500, you wrote:
>>> Due to an interoperability issue between UIDIGI and KPC3's, the
>> configuration for the New Paradigm has been revised.
>>>> It's amazing to me, how much we do to get around the KPC3 limits.
>> Is it that prevelant and that "good" a product?
>
It's VERY prevelent.
It's not a matter of whether it's "that good". Rather, it a case of
"it's the ONLY device that meets the requirements".
Until this year, NO other TNC could implement a stand-alone (no computer
required) WIDEn-N digipeater out of the box. [NO other TNC, other
than Kantronics other more expensive models, ever offered N-N
digipeating capability, including callsign substitution and dupe
detection/supression straight out of the box.] No other device
consumes as little power (less than 10mA), or was as flexible (it can do
data telemetry, act as a digipeater, act as a dumb tracker, and can
combine RX data and GPS data into a single serial port when used with a
computer) as a KPC3+ .
A TNC2 made into a smart digi via UIdigi firmware consumes almost 30
times the power (300mA), a real issue for remote solar-powered digis or
emergency power backup scenarios.
As of this year, the TNC-X with it's X-Digi piggyback board, and the AGW
microTNC, can also implement stand-alone n-N digipeaters, but the KPC3+
has been doing this for over 8 years.
.
> Or is it like the D700 - you can't mention the warts? :-)
>
No. It's more like the "tyranny of the installed base" problem that
plagues software developers that have to maintain compatibility with
previous versions of programs or operating systems because so many are
out there.
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com
EchoLink Node: 14400 [Think bottom of the 2M band]
Home Page: http://wa8lmf.com
"APRS 101" Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/DigiPaths
Updated APRS Symbol Chart
http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/miscinfo/APRS_Symbol_Chart.pdf
New/Updated "Rev G" APRS http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/aprs
Symbols Set for UI-View,
UIpoint and APRSplus: